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Topic: Ready for a 2017 Nonfiction Challenge?

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Subject: Ready for a 2017 Nonfiction Challenge?
Date Posted: 12/4/2016 2:23 PM ET
Member Since: 5/31/2009
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Let's have all your ideas so we can build one that appeals to whoever wants to particpate.



Last Edited on: 12/6/16 4:35 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
susank17 avatar
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Date Posted: 12/4/2016 6:08 PM ET
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Sure!  I'm finishing my last 2, for a total of 8 this year.  (Read a lot of mysteries lately) But I'll join in.

garrity avatar
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Date Posted: 12/10/2016 12:05 AM ET
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This year was a great year for nonfiction for me.  I'm looking forward to next year's challenge.  

Do you think anyone would be interested in a Dewey Decimal challenge?  Or would that be too restrictive?

Class 000 – Computer science, information & general works

Class 100 – Philosophy & psychology

Class 200 – Religion

Class 300 – Social sciences

Class 400 – Language

Class 500 – Science

Class 600 – Technology

Class 700 – Arts & recreation

Class 800 – Literature

Class 900 – History & geography

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Date Posted: 12/10/2016 8:46 AM ET
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That's an interesting suggestion Lisa.  Let's hear what others have to say.

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Date Posted: 12/10/2016 10:41 AM ET
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Sports - team - Baseball, football, Basketball,etc,                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                         on field, off field, owners, agents, etc.                                                                                                                                                                      

               Individual - olympic - summer and winter. this could include team also. track and field                                                                                               Boxing- boxers, trainers, famous boxing matches and the venues involved.

                Horse racing - horse, jockey, trainer, owner. etc.                                                                                                                                                                      

                 Auto racing - drivers, cars, drag racing. race tracks.                                                                                                                                                               

                 Sailing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

                  Fishing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                   Golf                                                                                                                                                                                                                           



Last Edited on: 12/12/16 6:46 AM ET - Total times edited: 2
ladyhawked avatar
Date Posted: 12/11/2016 11:12 PM ET
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Would that be biographies only about sports / athletes, etc.?  I don't have too many of those.

I think Lisa's idea with the Dewey decimal system is cool.  I've been starting to divide my NF this way, because other organizing systems were too convoluted.

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Date Posted: 12/12/2016 6:44 AM ET
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biography or memoir/autobio. for example- Boys in the Boat. Michael Phelps. Jesse Owens. Jim Thorp. just a few Olympics. Jackie Robinson. many baseball players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig. Mickey Mantle. The Negro leagues and the players who played there. Baseball owner. Connie Mack, Branch Rickey, Charlie Finley, many more. Boxing has many famous personalities. American or British. Sailing has the America's Cup and many ocean races. Golf is almost all player personalities. famous tournaments, locales. football -high school, college and Professional. people responsible for starting pro football. women in sports.

sport is really a very large subject area.



Last Edited on: 12/12/16 6:59 AM ET - Total times edited: 2
ladyhawked avatar
Date Posted: 12/12/2016 11:31 AM ET
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yes, that's true.  It sounds very interesting.  I definitely wouldn't do well in that challenge.

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Date Posted: 12/12/2016 3:42 PM ET
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if you haven't read Seabiscuit now would be a good time. The book Unbroken has the main guy as a long distance runner. I think he went to the Berlin olympics in '36.

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Date Posted: 12/13/2016 9:11 AM ET
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Charles, it looks like sports could be a part of the challenge where any and all of your suggestions would qualify but it seems that it should be much broader.  Keep the ideas coming and I'll try to do challenge categories before the first of the year which I'll submit for everyone to look over.



Last Edited on: 12/13/16 9:11 AM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 12/13/2016 4:37 PM ET
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under memoirs would travel narratives work. Those can be fun reads.

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Date Posted: 12/16/2016 6:54 PM ET
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I don't see why not Charles.  Memoirs can be about experiences as well as life.  At least that's how I view it.  Looking back through the nonfiction challenges I see the same categories from 2012 on so I agree with Lisa and Charles that it's time for a change.  I definitely see biographies/memoirs, etc. and Sports as two.  Lisa: Define what each category would cover.  Charles:  Can you give a listing as well?  And, if anyone else has ideas throw them in, too.  I'll look at all the suggestions and put one together.



Last Edited on: 12/16/16 10:58 PM ET - Total times edited: 4
garrity avatar
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Date Posted: 12/19/2016 5:17 PM ET
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I was thinking that each category would have histories, biographies, memoirs, how to books, informational books, essays, technical books and so forth related to the subject matter.  Not necessarily books that would be classified under each of the Dewey decimal classes.

For example: Class 000 – Computer science, information & general works

Outsiders Still: Why Women Journalists Love - and Leave - Their Newspaper Careers by Vivian Smith

Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History by Victoria Sherrow

Bill Gates: The Path to the Future by Jonathan Gatlin

House of Lost Worlds: Dinosaurs, Dynasties, and the Story of Life on Earth by Richard Conniff

1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die by Peter Boxall

 

 

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Date Posted: 12/19/2016 5:37 PM ET
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This forum we are in is Biography/Memoir. Since that is the forum it seems like that should be the scope of the challenge. A non fiction challenge should be in a different forum it seems to me. There is a History forum.

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Date Posted: 12/20/2016 2:10 PM ET
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Thanks for your input Charles but a nonfiction challenge has been held in this thread for many years.  I checked back through 2011 and found them.  I don't think it's appropriate to change that pattern.  However, I don't see why many biographies/memoirs can't fit into lots of categories.  One just has to explain the link. With this in mind I will do a listing after Christmas for those who wish to react before finalizing it.

 

 

  



Last Edited on: 12/20/16 2:10 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
susank17 avatar
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Date Posted: 12/20/2016 4:06 PM ET
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I like the Dewey Decimal system as categories. Read more than one in a category? I may have missed that part of the discussion. Now, where are food writers, hmmm...Can learn a lot this year about the library system.

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Date Posted: 12/20/2016 7:17 PM ET
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As far as I know there hasn't been a discussion about reading more than 1 in a category.  I included multiple books for my example to show a variety of books could fit under the category.

Perhaps there could be a super reader category for those who want to read more than 10 books?

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Date Posted: 12/27/2016 5:10 PM ET
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The Dewey Decimal system challenge looks interesting.

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Date Posted: 12/30/2016 1:36 PM ET
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Have patience folks.  I've been without power for several days.  Just got it back today and I'm way behind on everything but I should get the challenge posted in a week or so.  Is that ok with everyone?  If not, can someone else do it and just email me that it's up?

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Date Posted: 12/30/2016 1:56 PM ET
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I'm okay with waiting... I have some fiction books to read while we wait.

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Date Posted: 12/31/2016 7:03 PM ET
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From Lisa:  "Each category would have histories, biographies, memoirs, how to books, informational books, essays, technical books and so forth related to the subject matter.  Not necessarily books that would be classified under each of the Dewey decimal classes."

"Class 000 – Computer science, information & general works

Outsiders Still: Why Women Journalists Love - and Leave - Their Newspaper Careers by Vivian Smith

Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History by Victoria Sherrow

Bill Gates: The Path to the Future by Jonathan Gatlin

House of Lost Worlds: Dinosaurs, Dynasties, and the Story of Life on Earth by Richard Conniff

1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die by Peter Boxall"

 I, too, see many possibilities for nonfiction memoirs, biographies, etc., fitting in lots of the areas.  Sports of all types fit, too.  Many sports are very technical such as sailing and isn't dance an artistic form?  Team sports could fit Class 100 as there is certainly a psychological aspect to this type of competition.  Use your imagination and just state how your selection qualifies.  This is your challenge to design within a framework.

Class 000 – Computer science, information & general works

Class 100 – Philosophy & psychology

Class 200 – Religion

Class 300 – Social sciences

Class 400 – Language

Class 500 – Science

Class 600 – Technology

Class 700 – Arts & recreation

Class 800 – Literature

Class 900 – History & geography  



Last Edited on: 12/31/16 7:13 PM ET - Total times edited: 7
ladyhawked avatar
Date Posted: 12/31/2016 7:22 PM ET
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Thanks REK!  I'm so excited!!

 - Should we just keep our lists here?

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Date Posted: 12/31/2016 7:23 PM ET
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MY LIST! - Is now on the list thread.  You can find it here



Last Edited on: 1/2/17 9:39 PM ET - Total times edited: 1
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Date Posted: 1/1/2017 1:32 PM ET
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No.  I'll create a thread for lists.  OK?

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Date Posted: 1/1/2017 5:38 PM ET
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Thanks, R E K. I will be joining in.

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